The only thing greater than white fear is white guilt. -- LiveWire Teen Forums

Quote: from KoopaTroopa at 1:15 pm on May 9, 2008

well you sound just like everyone else, just more intelligent. it almost sounded stereotypical, but as i once said, it'll probably be difficult for blacks to avoid the stereotypes given.

Stereotypes also tend to work as a self-fulfilling prophecy in a way. You say that blacks tend to be shoot 'em up gangstas and you know? Many will be, or at least try to portray themselves as such, as an expression of their identity as a black person.

But that's not to say that a black person cannot break this silly stereotype. Everybody can contradict any stereotype they're given, and just about everybody does in some way in their lifetime.

No matter how much you explain why many blacks act the way they do, people still won't like them for it. Portraying yourself as a cold hard gangsta who doesn't give a fuck about education, doing hard work, etc. does not reflect very favorably on the majority of society, especially on potential employers.

i work at a store where plenty of blacks go everyday, and a lot of the stereotypes are true. i'm not saying that using the race card is justified, but it's clear to me why it's difficult to get a job or go to school.

Think of it this way. A hippy walks into a store and asks for an application to work there. Would it be to anybody's surprise that the store would refuse to hire a guy whose hair length exceeds their shoulders, whose clothes are dirty and old, and who has a very anti-authority attitude?

The same thing very much applies to many blacks. This can extend from the way they talk (even these "ghetto" accents can make a difference), the way they look (generally if one isn't dressed very fancy, as in experience I find most black applicants aren't, they aren't looked upon favorably - and the ones who do wear ties, black dress / work pants, etc. are the ones hired), their attitude, etc. You'd be very hard pressed to say that racism applies to these situations, although that isn't to say that it can't. It certainly does, but not nearly as often as many blacks and other people try to make it appear to be.

it's easy to say that opportunities are there, but society makes it difficult for them to achieve because they won't look past the stereotypes.

Remember, one who acts stereotypically will be treated stereotypically. I guarantee you that if you're black and you wear glasses (even if fake), dressed in a nice business suit with a tie, and speak like you're educated, you will get a job that just about any white person would.

But we must also bear in mind that many of our standards were set by white people, hence why it's much easier for whites to adhere to them. Regardless of how you fit into all of this, though, being able to act a certain way that makes people look favorably upon you isn't extraordinarily difficult, no matter the color of skin. It just takes a little intelligence and stepping out of one's boundaries and mindset.

we can't pretend that discrimination isn't in full swing today. we just can't judge who's discriminating or not.

In full swing? Even if you try arguing that many are racist implicitly, you'd still be very hard pressed trying to prove that statement. You'd be far more successful at arguing that the business world and success are set by "white standards," hence the difficulty for other minorities to be as successful as it's not as intuitive for them, but if one is going to participate in such a world, one ought to be expected to adhere to these simple rules.

Like I keep saying, it's not difficult for blacks to become successful in most places in the US anymore. I have seen many personal examples of black friends succeeding because they actually knew what they were doing, both in school and the work environment. Saying that blacks are disadvantaged because of racism does nothing more than to hold blacks back.

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